Social Skills Therapy Groups &
Developmental Infant/Child Classes
Connection, confidence, and communication —
through play, relationships, and fun.
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The Airplane Spoon offers a variety of small classes and group therapy sessions that are designed to support children and parents through a shared community of trust, engagement, learning, and enjoyment. They also provide a space for parents to come together and learn strategies to support their children.
Social Skills Group Therapy
Our Outdoor Social Groups are designed for children with developmental delays, differences, or disorders who benefit from learning social-communication and pragmatic skills in a dynamic, sensory-regulating environment. Led by licensed speech-language pathologists, these groups provide individualized goals for each child, embedded within natural play routines and interactive peer experiences. Why Outdoor Groups? Outdoor settings naturally support regulation and engagement. The open space allows children to move, explore, and self-regulate, which is essential for those who feel overwhelmed in confined or noisy indoor environments. With distinct areas for various activities, children can experience clear physical boundaries while still having the freedom to engage with peers. Nature also provides endless opportunities for curiosity, flexibility, and problem-solving—core components of real-life social interaction. Small group size (4-6 children per group) with parent involvement A Typical Outdoor Group Session Includes: -Hello song and greetings -Carpet play (collaborative floor play) -Music, art, or obstacle course activity -Social game (for example, Duck Duck Goose, Red Light Green Light, Simon Says) -Table game (for example, board games or puzzles) -Snack and book time (social mealtime interactions, perspective-building through stories) -Body game (free play with peers) Goodbye song and wrap-up Skills we target include: Clear communication, self-advocacy, initiating conversations, taking turns, flexible thinking, managing frustration, sportsmanship, empathy, perspective-taking, spatial awareness, and problem-solving in active, real-world environments.
Our Indoor Social Groups are specialized, therapy groups designed for children with developmental delays, differences, or disorders who benefit from a structured, supportive setting to build meaningful communication, social-pragmatic, and emotional regulation skills. These groups are led by licensed speech-language pathologists, with individualized goals for each child, and follow a consistent, play-based framework that fosters authentic peer interaction. Why an Academic Year Program? Our groups follow an academic year model to provide consistency, depth, and progression in skill development. Social-communication growth doesn’t happen in a few weeks—it requires time, repetition, and opportunities to practice skills across a variety of social scenarios. The academic year structure allows children to build on foundational skills week after week, leading to lasting progress that transfers into classroom settings, peer relationships, and everyday interactions. Why Indoor Groups? The indoor environment is intentionally selected to support children who benefit from increased regulation and a calmer sensory setting. Indoor groups provide a familiar, structured space where children can focus on peer interaction, communication strategies, and social problem-solving without the unpredictability of outdoor stimuli. This setting mirrors the typical environments children encounter in school, helping to generalize skills into academic and community settings. Small group size (3-4 children per group) with parent involvement Structured routines that promote self-regulation and engagement Focus on generalizing social-pragmatic skills into school and community settings A balance of structured play, cooperative tasks, and guided free-play opportunities
Why choose Airplane Spoon Social Groups?
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Small group sizes (3–6 children) for meaningful interactions
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Parent involvement with guided education and discussion time
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Focus on real-world social-communication skills that carry over to home, school, and community
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Support for building trust, emotional regulation, and self-advocacy
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Closed group format to create a consistent, familiar community for friendship-building
Developmental Classes
Ready to start solids but unsure where to begin? Join our warm, supportive 4-week class for babies 6–12 months and their parents. Led by a pediatric feeding specialist in small groups of 3, you’ll explore various feeding methods—including spoon-feeding and baby-led weaning—with hands-on practice and expert guidance. Weekly topics include teething tools, self-feeding, purees, and chewing skills. All materials are provided, and you’ll connect with other parents in a judgment-free space. Spots are limited to keep the group personalized—come hungry for knowledge and leave confident!
A welcoming, inclusive class for children ages 4–6 and their parents to explore food, cooking, and sensory play together. Led by a pediatric occupational therapist, this 60-minute weekly session uses simple recipes, visual supports, and sensory strategies to build early developmental skills, fine motor abilities, and confidence. With small groups of 4–6 children plus caregivers, families connect, learn, and have fun in a supportive, low-pressure environment.
A playful, inclusive class for toddlers ages 18–35 months and their grown-ups, led by a pediatric speech-language pathologist. This 45-minute weekly session supports early language, social skills, and connection through guided play, songs, visuals, and simple strategies families can use at home. Designed for all toddlers—whether just starting to communicate or already talking—in a welcoming, natural setting that fosters confidence and joyful relationships.
Why choose Airplane Spoon Classes?
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Small class sizes (3–6 children) for meaningful interactions
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Parent involvement with guided education and discussion time
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Teaches valuable developmental lifelong skills
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Promotes enjoyment, confidence, and exploration
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Closed group format to create a consistent, familiar community for friendship-building
Fall 2025 - Outdoor Social Skills Group Therapy
9-Week Program running from Sept 15th - November 14th. Children build social skills and have fun!
Outdoor play, social connection, and sensory regulation in our peaceful back patio space
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24–36 month olds – Thursdays 9:30 - 10:30 am
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3–4 year olds – Mondays 5:00 – 6:00 pm
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5–7 year olds – Tuesdays 5:00 – 6:00 pm
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8–10 year olds – Thursdays 5:00 – 6:00 pm
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Academic Year Indoor Group Therapy (Sept - May)
Academic Year-long Group therapy for deeper social learning and friendship building!
Indoor setting to support attention and regulation. Generalizable to school settings.
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4–6 year olds (Conversational Skills) – Tuesdays 3:45 – 4:45 pm
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11–14+ year olds (Basic Communicators) – Wednesdays 5:00 –6:00 pm
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Fall 2025 - Developmental Classes
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Developmental Learning Classes for Babies and Children!
Children connect through play and fun routines.
Parents learn valuable strategies for supporting their child's development.​
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Intro to Solids (6-12 month olds)– Wednesdays 9:30 – 10:15 am
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My First Cooking Class (4–6 year olds) – Tuesdays 3:45 – 4:45pm
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My First Play Class (1–2 year olds) – Wednesdays 10:45 – 11:30 am​​​
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Use code FALL50 at checkout – offer ends August 20!
More Information
&
Frequently Asked Questions
Location Information
All of our Groups and Classes are held at The Airplane Spoon developmental center located at 697 Menlo Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
Parking: The Airplane Spoon center looks like a house and has a tunnel garage driveway that goes to our private parking lot. There we have 8 parking spaces. There is also street parking and a public parking lot across the street by Trader Joe's.
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Groups and Classes may be held outdoors in our enclosed back patio Grow space, adjacent to our parking lot, or indoors in our front Family room, which has a sensory gym attached.
Leaders and Participants
Leaders: Our group therapy and classes are provided by our skilled and licensed speech-language pathologists and/or occupational therapists. Many groups and classes may have an additional support leader, who could be another therapist, a graduate student intern, or an educator.
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Participants- Therapy Groups: Children attending our therapy groups are children who present with developmental delay, differences, or disorders. Typically, children attending social groups present with therapeutic needs in social pragmatic skills, like children with autism or other neurodiverse learning styles, or maybe they have a language delay, and they could benefit from peer models. The ages of children for our therapy groups range from 24 months old to the teenage years. Children are grouped by age range and similar communication/learning levels.
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Participants- Developmental Classes: Our inclusive classes are designed for all children - typically-developing children and children with developmental delays, differences, or disorders. They are led by a licensed and credentialed speech or occupational therapist. They are not considered therapy sessions, as they are more for developmental skills support and parent education for any/all children and their parents.
Parent/Caregiver Involvement
At The Airplane Spoon, parents/caregivers attend sessions with the children. By learning alongside their children, parents gain tools, insights, and a sense of community, turning group therapy into a space where real progress and lasting connections are made—both in and out of the session.​
Parents play a vital role in these sessions, with involvement tailored to four levels:
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Parents as Observers: Watching and reflecting on your child’s interactions.
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Parents as Helpers: Supporting your child’s participation during the session.
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Parents as Equals: Engaging alongside your child in shared activities.
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Parent-to-Parent: Building connections and sharing experiences with other parents in the group.
Our Therapy Group sessions cost $180 per 60-minute session.
Children are enrolled for the entire term. Most terms are 8-10 weeks in duration.
Families will complete the enrollment form through our secure medical records platform, Jane, and will be charged the full term cost upfront. After each session, a Superbill is emailed to the family for insurance reimbursement purposes.
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Our Developmental Classes have different timelines and costs:
-Infant Starting Solids Class (monthly registration) - 4-week program costs $400
-My First Cooking Class (4-6 year-olds) - 10-week program costs $1000
-My First Play Class (1-3 year-olds) - 10-week program costs $750
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Enrollment is first-come, first-served. Families can secure their spot by purchasing the class through our Class Offerings page here.
Our developmental classes are educational and not considered therapy; therefore, we do not provide insurance Superbills for these classes.
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Cost and Payment
A Dad’s Perspective: Why Being in the Group Matters for Him and His Son
"Father-son, as a duo, when we go to a Social Group. I see him, at what level he's interacting, how he's interacting, what's the best practices for a kid with his needs to interact with the social world around him in a way which he feels confident and ocmfortable is super important beacuse then I can then take those learnings, (which noone has taught me how to raise a kid with special needs) and apply them to social settings when I take him to visit family and friends outside, or to a playground, or on a playdate. So that really helps because I truly know how my son behaves in a social setting when I go to a group like this."
Rehka, mother
of 5-year-old girl
My experience of parent involved social groups is reassuring for my child’s growth.
It is also comforting for us as parents to realize that we are not alone by talking to other parents and getting their input too.
I would say it’s the best way to expose your child to the outer world.
David, father
of 3-year-old son
We are very happy that we had the opportunity to learn first hand information and techniques during parent-involved groups when we were trying to figure things out.
Our son loves to meet and play with the therapists and his friends there, which we believe helped build a great foundation for his social interaction skills in other settings because of the strong relationship between therapists and families.
Angshuman, father
of 7-year-old-son
One of my favorite moments in our social group was when my son, for the first time, realized that another child was standing in the corner and she was not joining in our activity. The girl was not listening to her parent to join us and then my son went over to her and said "Come" and pulled her to the group and she came.
It was a very pure moment that my son felt the need for social interaction and the other girl felt valued that a peer was asking her to join the activity.
That instilled confidence in me that my son has the strong foundations of integrating with society and he will manage himself well. That joy and sense of pride in my kid would not have come if I wasn't there and had not seen that.
Thinking about signing up but need more info?
We’re here to help!
Please complete this contact form and we will reach out to you directly to answer your questions and explain more about our Groups and Class offerings!